Post office killing: Village unites in mourning

Villagers paid tribute yesterday to their postmaster's son, who was shot dead while he worked with his father in the family post office on Friday.

The archdeacon of Dudley, the Ven Fred Tretheway, said at a service in St Mark's church in the Worcestershire village of Fairfield that the community was trying to grapple with what had happened.

Craig Hodson-Walker, 29, was shot in the chest by three armed robbers. His father, Ken, 56, was in a stable condition in hospital after surgery on a gunshot wound to his leg sustained during the robbery. His mother, Judy, 56, fiancee, Lisa Bundy, 26, and brother, James, 27, were among the large congregation who listened to Tretheway say: "No one who has known Craig and his family can be untouched by what has happened and gatherings like this are one of the ways in which the community draws strength and offers mutual support."

Bundy described the man she was going to marry as her "soulmate and best friend" who "didn't deserve to die like that". The couple met 10 years ago and became engaged at Christmas. Judy Hodson-Walker added: "Someone, somewhere knows something about who did this and they should come forward and help the police because those responsible don't deserve any kind of life. Why did such a beautiful, honest, hard-working human being have his life taken away in that way?"

After the service, the family, above, went to read tributes attached to flowers laid in front of their post office. One said: "They have taken the life of the most kind, loving friend and for what?"

West Mercia police said there had been a good public response to an appeal for information. Three men armed with a handgun and a sledgehammer and a getaway driver were involved in the raid. The Post Office has offered a £50,000 reward for information leading to their arrest.